The subheading for this AP article says it all: Federal officials have confirmed what biologists have long thought: The Caribbean monk seal has gone the way of the dodo. But the last line is pretty good, too: As for the Caribbean monk seal, [the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration] said it is working to have them removed from the endangered species list. Species are removed from the list when their populations are no longer threatened or endangered, or when they are declared extinct. Silly me – I thought “extinct” and “endangered” had scientific meanings! (via PhysOrg)